A FATHER of three and successful investment analyst from Cobham who jumped from the terrace of a central London restaurant had been under "unbearable" stress prior to his death, an inquest has heard.

South African Nico Lambrechts, 46, who lived with his family in Pony Chase, died after sustaining multiple injuries on October 11 last year, having plunged from the roof of a seventh-floor restaurant in the City of London’s financial centre.

An inquest at City of London Coroner’s Court was told on Friday (January 11) how Mr Lambrechts pushed a chair against a wall and climbed onto the roof of the 80ft-high Coq d'Argent restaurant inside the No 1 Poultry building.

The court heard how Mr Lambrechts had started a new job with Investec Asset Management three months before he died.

Having begun working at the company in July, he was in the process of being relocated to Cape Town.

The inquest was told Mr Lambrechts was having difficulties accessing his earnings when he signed a South African contract – meaning he could not pay his children’s school fees.

Speaking at the inquest, colleague Domenico Ferrini said he saw Mr Lambrechts around three hours before he jumped to his death.

“I think he was very enthusiastic [in the new job] to start with, it was a wonderful opportunity in our business,” Mr Ferrini said.

“I think there were concerns around the relocation plan that we had.

“The intention was to relocate him back to South Africa, and that was one of the reasons we believe he was interested in working for us.”

Mr Ferrini said on the day of the death, the pair had held an informal "dry run" of a presentation ahead of an important meeting scheduled for the following week.

“I complimented him,” he said. “At that moment he seemed surprised but that is the one thing I remember – the surprise that I had complimented him.”

In a statement read to the court, another colleague, Duncan Coombe, said he had spoken to Mr Lambrechts twice about his financial concerns.

Mr Coombe said Mr Lambrechts had said he was “struggling to establish himself within his team”.

Trish Robertson, from the City of London Police, said Mr Lambrechts had told a family member he was “contemplating suicide” around three weeks before he died.

“He had been trying to get his money situation sorted out and settle into the job,” she told the court.

On the day of his death, Mr Lambrechts was filmed on CCTV making his way up to the restaurant’s terrace, phoning his wife and then “pacing around” for some time before climbing onto the wall.

“There was no indication he was going to do be doing that,” Ms Robertson said.

“He was feeling low and did not feel he was doing very well. He needed some encouragement. I think it was just the transition from a big company to a small company.”

Dr Mark Jenkins of Oxshott Medical Practice, Mr Lambrechts' GP, said he was led to believe his patient was under "unbearable stress" at work.

The inquest was told he jumped from the roof around half-an-hour after speaking to his wife on the phone, sustaining multiple injuries including severe head injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene by an air ambulance doctor.

Dr Roy Palmer, deputy coroner for the City of London, said there was “no suggestion this was an accident” and added he was satisfied Mr Lambrechts had intended to jump and kill himself.

“I am so very sorry you lost him in such circumstances. I am sorry it ended as it did,” he said.